Coleus plant named &#39;SAKCOL018&#39;

ABSTRACT

A coleus plant particularly distinguished by medium leaves and pink and purple leaves with green margins, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Solenostemon sp.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKCOL018’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of coleus, botanically known as Solenostemon sp., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘SAKCOL018’.

‘SAKCOL018’ originated from a cross-pollination conducted in October 2012 in Kakegawa, Japan in among multiple plants of six unpatented proprietary coleus lines designated ‘0-8C-3A-1B-5B-11D-3’, ‘12TH-2’, ‘12C-3’, ‘12M-4’, ‘12H-5’ and ‘12TL-1’. The cross-pollination was conducted in a cage using bees. Seven-hundred seeds were harvested from the ‘12TH-2’ plants. The seeds harvested from the ‘12TH-2’ plants are composed of hybrid seeds and self-pollinated seeds.

The seeds obtained from the ‘12TH-2’ plants were sown and a single plant selection designated L2013-CO015′ was selected for its multi-colored leaf pattern with a dark brown inner leaf color, green outer leaf color, creeping plant habit, and small leaves. The breeder confirmed that ‘L2013-CO015’ was fixed and stable. ‘L2013-CO015’ was subsequently named ‘SAKCOL018’.

The new plant was first asexually propagated in 2013 in Japan and has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings for almost three years in Japan. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations by vegetative cuttings.

‘SAKCOL018’ has not been made publicly available or sold more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE NEW PLANT

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

1. Medium leaves; and

2. Pink and purple leaves with green margins.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new coleus plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the overall plant habit, and foliage of a plant aged 7 months old. The colors are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the whole plant, including habit and foliage.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKCOL018’. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from plants grown 7 months from transplant into 4-inch pots from rooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif., under greenhouse conditions. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King, Cambridge University Press.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.         -   Botanical name.—Solenostemon sp.         -   Common name.—Coleus.         -   Denomination.—‘SAKCOL018’. -   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Annual.         -   Habit.—Semi-trailing.         -   Form.—Compact, 2 main branches, 6 secondary branches.         -   Height.—14.0 cm.         -   Spread.—31.0 cm.         -   Propagation type.—Vegetative cuttings. -   Environmental conditions for plant growth: The terminal 1.0 to 1.5     inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The vegetative     cuttings were propagated for five to six weeks. The base of the     cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9 solution of Dip 'N     Grow (1 solution: 9 water) root inducing solution immediately prior     to sticking into the cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic     cell trays having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat     moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from     overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were     formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm     diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas,     California. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble     fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium     was applied once a day or every other day by overhead irrigation.     Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing     20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average     air temperature was 24 degrees C. -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length.—17.0 cm to 18.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—6.0 mm to 8.0 mm.         -   Internode length.—1.3 cm to 2.4 cm.         -   Strength.—Branches separate easily.         -   Aspect.—Large.         -   Shape in cross-section.—Square.         -   Texture.—Very slight pubescent.         -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).         -   Flowering branch.—Absent. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Length.—4.5 cm.         -   Width.—3.7 cm.         -   Broadest part of the leaf blade.—Middle.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex.—Lanceolate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Very slight pubescence, soft with             very slight blistering.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Soft with pronounced venation,             glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Reticulate.         -   Vein color, upper surface.—RHS 59A (Red-Purple).         -   Vein color, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 145D             (Yellow-Green).         -   Petiole length.—2.2 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—2.0 mm.         -   Petiole color.—Closest to RHS 154A (Yellow-Green).         -   Petiole texture.—Very slight pubescent.         -   Variegation.—Present.         -   Leaf color.—Multicolored, bright pink at center, with             blotches of dark green/maroon then bright green towards leaf             margin Upper surface: Closest to RHS 59C (Red-Purple) with             blotches closest to RHS 200A (Black) with slight RHS 147A             (Yellow-Green) increasing towards margin, and RHS 143A             (Yellow-Green) at leaf margin. Lower surface: Closest to             RHS147B (Yellow-Green) with blotches of 59A (Red-Purple)             towards mid vein with most mature foliage having a blotch             closest to RHS 27A (Orange) at base. -   Reproductive organs: No flowers observed. -   Temperature tolerance: 2 degrees C. to 35 degrees C. -   Disease or insect resistance: No disease or insect resistance     observed. -   Comparison with parental lines and known variety: ‘SAKCOL018’ is a     new and distinct cultivar of coleus owning to its unique     multicolored leaf pattern and compact and dense semi-creeping habit.     It is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Plant Parental lines Leaf color habit ‘0-8C-3A-1B-5B-11D-3’ Inner leaf: rose color; Erect Outer leaf: dark brown with green edge and large leaves. ‘12TH-2’ (female Inner leaf: dark brown; Outer Creeping parent) leaf: green with small leaves. ‘12C-3’ Leaf color is yellow-green Creeping with rose colored veins with small leaves. ‘12M-4’ Inner leaf: dark brown; Outer Erect leaf: red with light green edge with wavy leaves ‘12H-5’ Leaf color are shades red with Erect a dark green edge and large leaves. ‘12TL-1’ Inner leaf: dark brown; Outer Creeping leaf: rose with small leaves. Plant Comparison Leaf color habit ‘SAKCOL018’ Closest to RHS 59C (Red-Purple) Semi- with blotches closest to RHS creeping 200A (Black) with slight RHS 147A (Green) increasing towards margin, and RHS 143A (Yellow-Green) at leaf margin.

-   ‘SAKCOL018’ is most similar to the commercial variety ‘Burgundy     Wedding Train’, also known as ‘Kakegawa CE10’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.     17,003); however, there are differences as listed in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety ‘Kakegawa Characteristic ‘SAKCOL018’ CE10’ Leaf color, Closest to RHS 59C (Red-Purple) Multi-color; base upper surface with blotches closest to RHS 200A is RHS 77A (Black) with slight RHS 147A (purple); edge is (Green) increasing towards margin, RHS 143B and RHS 143A (Yellow-Green) at (green). leaf margin. Leaf color, Closest to RHS 147B (Yellow-Green) Base is RHS 59A lower surface with blotches of 59A (Red-Purple) (red-purple); towards mid vein with most mature edge is RHS foliage having a blotch closest to 139C (green) RHS 27A (Orange) at base Plant growth Compact, Semi-creeping Semi-creeping habit 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of coleus plant named ‘SAKCOL018’ as illustrated and described herein. 